Matrimonial Assignments

We have experience of:

assisting in the gathering of financial evidence and verifying that all of the assets have been declared on the Form E. Here, we are able to draw on our experience from the criminal defence work that we regularly undertake, which is also useful when we are asked to comment upon a spouse’s true level of earnings (which can be masked by manipulation of accounting treatments) or analyse one party’s lifestyle expenditure;

business valuations, both in the matrimonial context as well as in the context of s.459 (minority shareholder protection) claims, partnership disputes, insurance claims and compulsory purchase orders;

analysing cashflows and security over assets in the search for liquidity to ensure one party has, or can realise, sufficient cash to fund a settlement. Our work on business interruption claims and Security for Cost Applications gives us experience in advising on practical, efficient solutions that enable a “clean break” to be achieved. We also have access to tax specialists so that we can ensure any advice reflects the most tax efficient solution for the parties; and

analysing business performance, ensuring that nothing creeps out of the woodwork post separation, once settlement has been agreed.

It may not be necessary for a full forensic accounting investigation on every occasion and we can act as a single joint expert, an expert for one party or, perhaps more commonly, as a shadow expert, where a single joint expert has been appointed but one party is unhappy with the outcome and requires assistance in preparing informed, detailed, probing questions of the expert.